What is Foreclosure in Royal Oak, Michigan?

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Foreclosure is the process through which the lender in a mortgage takes ownership and/or possession of the property that secured the original loan. This happens when a debtor in Royal Oak, Michigan has repeatedly failed to make their payments. When a house is foreclosed, it is typically sold at auction shortly thereafter. This is because banks typically want to get rid of the property as soon as possible, even if it means losing some money, and an auction is an easy way to do this.

In every state, including Michigan, there is an option to go through foreclosure by a judicial sale, which is a procedure in which a court supervises the sale of the property, and makes sure that the proceeds first go the to the holder of the mortgage, then to anyone else who may have a lien on the property, and finally to the debtor if anything is left. In some states, original mortgages are "non-recourse loans," meaning that the lender can only recover ownership of the house in the event of default. If the house is now worth less than the balance of the mortgage, the lender has to take the loss. You should speak with a Royal Oak, Michigan Lawyer to see if this state is one of them. However, it is almost always the case that this protection does not apply to loans which have been refinanced.

How Can I Avoid Foreclosure in Michigan?

First and foremost, you should not ignore the possibility of foreclosure. Failing to respond to collection calls from your lender will not make the problem go away. As unpleasant as this might seem, you should stay in contact with your creditor, and be forthright with them. You should remember that banks in Royal Oak don't want your house. While the foreclosure process can be devastating for the homeowner, it's no walk in the park for the bank, either. They expected to make a profit through interest on the loan paid over time, and foreclosure is a last resort, allowing them to cut their losses and move on. If you are forthright with them, lenders will typically try to accommodate your changed financial situation, to avoid a default on your part, and the necessity of foreclosing on their part.

If you believe that foreclosure is imminent, there are some other options. For example, you might be able to engage in a "short sale," which sometimes allows you to sell your house for whatever amount you can get, give the proceeds to the lender, and walk away free of your mortgage debt, even if the sale netted less than the balance of the mortgage. You might also try a "short refinance" which allows a piece of the debt to be forgiven, and the rest refinanced. This allows the bank to wash its hands of the matter, while taking a relatively small loss, and allows the homeowner to keep their home.

How Can A Royal Oak, Michigan Attorney Help?

If you are facing the possibility of foreclosure, a good Royal Oak, Michigan real estate Attorney can help. At the very least, they will be able to inform you of your legal options.

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Life in Royal Oak

Royal Oak is a city in Oakland County, Michigan. It has a population of about 60,000 individuals, and is considered a suburb of Detroit.

Royal Oak was incorporated as a village in 1891, but its human history dates back thousands of years - the area now known as Royal Oak was inhabited by indigenous peoples millennia before the arrival of European settlers. The name of Royal Oak dates back to 1819, when an early settler to the region saw an oak tree which reminded him of the "Royal Oak" - an oak tree in which King Charles II hid to evade enemy forces during a battle in 1651.

The downtown area of Royal Oak features a variety of entertainment options, including bars, restaurants, music venues, comedy clubs,and nightclubs. Royal Oak appears to have avoided the worst of the economic hardship that the Detroit area has experienced over the past few decades, with only 4.3% of the population living below the poverty line - much lower than the national average. It also has a verylow rate of violent crime, and an average rate of property crime, which is much better than many of its neighbors.

Thanks to its diversity and relative prosperity, Royal Oak, Michigan has a thriving legal community, with attorneys who should be able to solve just about any legal problem a person might have. If you need any form of legal assistance, a Royal Oak, Michigan lawyer is who you should contact.